Mongolia(2008). Inside the home of a Kazakh family who lives in Bayan Olgii. Father holding up a picture of his son who is in the Mongolian army.

Bayan Ulgii town is located in Mongolia`s western-most province. It is set in the Altai mountains where Mongolia,China and Russia converge. It is the only province where Mongolians are not the majority: about 90% of the population are ethnically Kazakh and practise Islamic traditions. Bayan Ulgii town suffered from the collapse of the socialist system; artificially created plants and industries buckled. Suddenly, all services and goods became very expensive. Today, Bayan Ulgii is the poorest province of Mongolia. Maternal and infant mortality rate is much higher than in the rest of the country and the central hospital still use Soviet made equipment waiting to be replaced.